Craigslist quilting frames
 

Can anyone make heads or tails of these? I'm tempted to call about them because the price is so low, but I can't even identify them!
http://louisville.craigslist.org/for/2874871714.html

Thanks for looking and anything you can add.

Very low cost and your seller knows nothing about them. Buyer beware. Maybe some folks on the list can be more helpful in identifying the pieces to see if everything you need is actually there....my guess is no, but I don't use a frame for quilting (though I do have one).

Can't tell from the pics, but looks like it's missing pieces. ???? Maybe someone else can tell better from the photos.

Yeah...I thought the bundles looked sort of skinny.
I might still go take a look at them and see if I can figure it out.

good luck, dixie_fried ! Hope you find a great deal!!

They look like they are a hand quilting frame. The quilt would be stitched to the fabric.

For $15, I would take the chance. The frames could be missing pieces, but, worst case, you have firewood.:D

I don't know a lot about quilting frames but I believe these frames were hung from the ceiling and quilters sat around the edges of it and then when need be, it could be raised back towards the ceiling to get it out of the way of everyday living.

Yep! The seller says they have "metal hanging pieces"....

I think I HAVE to buy them now. They might have some historical value.
I have an acquaintance who volunteers at a textile museum.
If nothing else, I will see if they could use them.


ETA: thanks for all the replies! I knew I could count on you all!

My grandma told me when she was a little girl, that her little brother set a broom on fire, and then ran through the house and caught her grandma's hanging quilting frame on fire.

Yep, I'd grab them up too...

Crossing my fingers she still has them in the morning. I found the ad too late to call tonight.
I have an idea of how I might use one as a sort of canopy/headboard in our spare room...

I didn't see any uprights for the ends----------maybe they were not shown

This had to be a hanging quilting frame.....they hung from the ceiling and were ratcheted up to the ceiling when not in use. There's no historical value, probably, as there were hundreds and hundreds of these things all over the US, used as recently as the 1980s that I personally saw in Alabama and Oklahoma.

If you have chairs with a back that isn't rounded or that have a short ladder back, then you also use those to support the frame instead of hanging it.

See if you can get it for less; I wouldn't pay even $15 if I could help it.

Jan in VA

It looks like it is just the poles with the leaders attached. But no frame or anything.

oops! just saw Jan's reply. I wonder how they work?

Wow, call on them! make sure that they are all there. I don't see the legs in the pictures. I just bought a new one for $130.00. It took about an hour and 2 arguments with the DH to get it assembled, but worth it. Ask if the instructions are included. That is a terific price.

I hope you are able to get it.

It looks to me like the kind that you do hand quilting with. It looks like mine when taken down.

My mother had some that hung from the ceiling, there was 4 planks to each set you put quilt on two and as you hand quilted you rolled to get to the next row to hand quilt.Big nails droped in the end to hold it as you rolled.there was small nails to attach your quilt to.it hung from ceiling and was rolled up on ropes when not in use.

I would by them just for the length of the wood. I would try wrapping my batting, undercloth and top around each to keep it tight just to pin using a counter. My floor right now isn't big enough for my kingsize with the furniture in it. So just have not put it together. Last night I laid out another quilt, taped the bottom to the floor. Put on the batting smoothed it and the top and started pinning. When I folded it all up the bottom wasn't really that flat and had wrinkles in it already. I need help. - So I would try that for 15$. -- J

home made and similar to all that were used years ago. couldn't make them for that. nice leaders she has on them. will you use it? or is it a "collecter" item.

Those are like the ones I use, only ours sits on stands we built for them. Material is pinned to them, backing first, facing down, batting, then the quilted top. We tie ours mostly because doing them for veterans and get a lot done faster. Prefer tied quilts anyway. Corners are clamped together with whatever works for you. I like the big clamps you squeeze to open up and clamp top board to bottom. This gives you a large square frame, adjusted to the size you need for your quilt. As outside squares are tied off, one can unhook clamp and roll the done piece up so they can reach more of the quilt to tie. We have 10 of these we set up when we have a "quiltarobics" at a local retirement home. People there loved tieing them off, or "tieing one on as we put it". Back in times past, lots of times the frames were put on backs of four chairs at the corners. I have heard of the hanging ones though. As was mentioned, hung from ceiling and pulled up out of the way when not being worked on.

yes, they are hanging frames and well worth more than $15...just go price GOOD wood these days! and the canvas leaders are already attached and the hardware is there....you can't beat that price!

I believe they are definitely the hanging frame that ladies used to suspend from the ceiling. There don't appear to be any legs for the poles to rest in on the floor. Check for warping of the boards/rods. I don't see any clamps or bungee straps.
I think you're buying some history. Some quilting groups still use this type frame.

These are old frames that are attached t short wooden cross bars using clamps into a long rectangle. The quilt sandwich is basted to the fabric, then it is rolled onto the long wooden bars, much like a long arm quilting frame. The frame is set onto backs of chairs or wooden "horses" for support while quilting. Frequently, the entire unit was attached to pulleys and pulled to the ceiling for out-of-the-way storage until the next quilting session. Women sat along each long edge and quilted. $15 is a good price for something like this, if you have a large ceiling for storage and want to hand quilt. Personally, I'd use a 14-inch hoop and sit on a comfortable couch.

SandyQuilter

look similar to the frames the quilting guild i go to uses. the quilt is basted to the fabric on the wood, then the wood pieces are laid across chairs to hold them for hand quilting with lots of people getting around the edges. quilt starts from outside and goes in during quilting process, getting rolled as it gets quilted. the hanging feature would be to hang it somewhere out of the way when you aren't using it.

I would get them. They have the sleeves on them already. I looks like they were used hanging off the ceiling but I would think you can buy some saw horses and put them on there too. The clamps are with them or you can buy some. Really cheap. You can not buy the wood for them for $15.

Hi - I have a quilting frame that I am no longer using and would like to sell. I live about 60 miles south from Louisville. I have sent you a PM. Contact me if you are interested.

Here is a link how to make one and hang it up.
http://www.ehow.com/how_4842623_anti...ing-frame.html

sounds like the ones that you hang from the ceiling.. I made a set years ago but made legs for them. not sure if the shipping cost would be worth it.

Oh yes I grew up under one of these in '40s. Mother was always quilting when we got off the bus from school. We would throw our coats and books on the quilt and she would roll it up to the ceiling out of the way. the next morning when we heard the bus coming we would have her drop it down so we could get out stuff.
I just happen to have 3 sets, I don't use them but just can;t through them away.
They are great if you have the room for one.
Sorry about my story but just had to share

I would buy it.
If for nothing else, the joy of trying to put them together.
J J

So Dixie, what happened when you called? Did you get them? I hope so!

Donna

I should tell you all that I am in no way a hand quilter....there are probably 5 year olds who can hand stitch better than I can! LOL
What I am is a bargain hunter, and these seemed to be a bargain. I don't even know where I would put them, but, I know I would not use them for their intended purpose, which makes me think I should leave them for someone who would use them properly.

You think too much. Get them! I thought your idea of a bed canopy was brilliant! And if you decide in the future to work on your handquilting, you'd be equipped.

Donna

Antiques was what I was thinking also. Not from experience but from what my Dad told me about his Mom quilting. Granny's frame was like the one auntpiggylpn was talking about, raised to the ceiling during the day out of the way. Daddy is 79 so the frames were around a while back.
Robin inTX

They look like antique frames that were hung from the ceiling. The muslin is to sew or pin the quilt to so that you could quilt to the edge.. BUY THEM!!!

These are the kind of frame my mom used and i would sit under them to push the needle back up to her thought i was helping and yes they hung from a cieling